El Retiro Park
Park · Jeronimos ·
Expansive park with a lake, gardens, art spaces, and peacocks
Expansive park with a lake, gardens, art spaces, and peacocks
"Whenever you feel like the city is swallowing you and need a fresh, green shot, ride your bike to the city's lung. It's not only a green spot, it's a living space, with its lake, theatre, exhibition spaces, terraces, and now even a restaurant. 1,28 km. surface dedicated to ride, read, chill, run, and dream which once hosted the only zoo in town." - id.real
"A large, leafy urban park ideal for relaxed walking, offering tranquil paths and open spaces that serve as a pleasant extension of nearby sightseeing routes and a restful counterpoint to bustling squares." - Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Be a Travel Writer, an online course for the next generation of travel journalists. Her photos, videos, and words have appeared in print or online for Travel + Leisure, Time, Los Angeles Times, Glamour, and many more. You'll usually find her in an airport. If you do see her there, please say hello. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"More than a park, Parque de El Retiro feels like the city's living room and is part of the Landscape of Light, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021; I watched runners loop the pond, families set up picnics, and street musicians fill the air with Spanish guitars, making it the perfect way to start a day like a Madrileño." - AFAR
"A roughly 350-acre former royal retreat with manicured lawns, trimmed hedges, fountains, rose and topiary gardens, notable monuments, and a central boating lake. Highlights include the Cecilio Rodríguez Garden—where peacocks roam—and the Palacio de Cristal and Velázquez palaces, which host modern-art exhibitions tied to the national museum." - Siobhan Reid Siobhan Reid Siobhan Reid is an NYC-based writer, editor, and copywriter. She is currently the editor-in-residence at The Vintner Project and was previously an editor at Travel + Leisure, covering culture, design, style, and wellness. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"The city's verdant cultural heart—an expansive park ideal for leisurely strolls, people-watching, boating, and relaxing amid statuary and landscaped gardens at no cost." - Lauren Dana Ellman Lauren Dana Ellman Lauren Dana Ellman is a New York-based writer and editor who specializes in travel, lifestyle, food, and shopping content. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines